


i don't wanna give my heart (if it's not yours to keep)

by reshopgaypanda (echo_wolf)



Series: give my heart (always yours to keep) [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 18:12:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11468961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echo_wolf/pseuds/reshopgaypanda
Summary: Lena finds out about a secret that she didn't know Kara even had, and Kara incorrectly guesses the secret Lena's trying to keep.orthe soft, angsty, dog au literally no one asked for





	i don't wanna give my heart (if it's not yours to keep)

**Author's Note:**

> the title comes from Settled by the Icarus Account (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnpB-03TRUM)
> 
> ((a soft song for a soft fic, tbh))

“Ms. Luthor, Lucy Lane is here to see you.” Jess says through the phone speaker, pulling Lena’s attention away from a contract that’s been getting harder to read the longer she stares at it.

“Thank you, Jess. Let her in.” Lena says as she marks the last paragraph she’s read and lifts her gaze to her office door. 

In comes Lucy with two cups of coffee, a brown bag, and a mischievous smirk. “Hey there, Luthor.” 

“Lucy. It’s been a while.” She smiles warmly at her friend as Lucy places a cup in front of Lena and takes a seat in one of the modern chairs in front of Lena’s desk. “What brings you to L-Corp?”

“I wanted to visit my favorite girl.” Lucy takes a look around only to frown when she can’t find who she’s looking for. “Where is she?”

Lena rolls her eyes, “and here I thought you came to visit me.” 

Lucy scoffs as she shakes the brown bag, “As if this croissant was for you.” 

“Hey, a girl can dream.” Lena shrugs and takes a sip of her coffee. “Thank you for this, by the way. Contracts suck.” 

“Wait, I suspect a slight and subtle subject change and even a hint of avoidance of the next question I wanna ask.” Lucy says, raising an eyebrow and crossing her legs to lean forward. “Why isn’t she here?” 

“Because it’s been a little crazy.” Lena says with a wave of her hand. “We just moved to National City.”

“Yeah, and this office looks  _ so _ different from your Metropolis office.” Lucy deadpans as she starts to lean back against her chair, completely unconvinced. “You’ve also been here for months, Lena. What gives?” It takes Lucy a moment, but then suddenly she’s giggling and Lena hates that she’s figured it out all within a minute of entering her office. “You’re telling me Kara hasn’t met Lily yet?”

There’s commotion at the door before Lena can get even remotely defensive. “Miss Danvers, Ms. Luthor is currently--” The door opens and Kara Danvers comes barging in with a flustered Jess in tow.  “--unavailable.” 

“Jess, it’s quite alright.” Lena assures her secretary and makes a mental note to get her more tea from that boutique downtown as Jess walks out and shuts the doors in a huff. She turns her attention to Kara, who looks thoroughly embarrassed at her own behaviour. “Kara, I believe you know Lucy?” 

Kara grimaces briefly, but nods enthusiastically. “Lucy!” 

“Kara, fancy seeing you here.” Lucy teases, but only Lena seems fazed by the comment. “Interview for Catco?”

“Um,” Kara clears her throat. “No, um, plans for lunch with Lena actually.” The blonde looks at the CEO, “I think?”

Lucy grins, “I bet you do.”

Lena nods, ignoring the way her heart flutters at the adorable blonde. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I always enjoy your visits, especially when you choose to be a complete pain in the ass but Kara’s right. We have plans.” 

“Well, I can take a hint, Luthor.” Lucy sighs and places the brown bag onto Lena’s desk. “Give my regards to Lily.”

“I swear if that has chocolate, I’m dropping her off at your place.” Lena warns the shorter brunette with a squint of her eyes. 

“Is that a promise?” Lucy wears an even bigger shit-eating grin as she gathers her things. “Oh, Kara, I’ll see you at game night? James really wants a Mario Kart rematch.” 

“Of course, Lucy.” Kara says with an easy smile, adjusting her glasses.

“Yes!” Lucy cheers and her eyes light up with something that worries Lena, but ultimately goes unnoticed by Kara. “Will I be seeing our favorite Luthor there too?” 

“Unfortunately, he’s behind bars.” Lena says with a roll of her eyes. “Maybe the next lifetime?”

“I was talking about Lily, but you should come, too, Lena.” Lucy laughs, giving Lena a hug and then Kara. 

“Wait, who’s Lily?” Kara asks, her brows pulling together to showcase a crinkle that’s a tell-tale for her confusion and concern. 

“You mean, Lena’s baby?” Lucy gushes before Lena can properly answer. “She’s the cutest. But, don’t let her steal the show. I’m sure everyone could be served some serious ass-kicking in monopoly by Lena, right, Kara?” 

Kara pulls back, “I’m sure.” She smiles timid, suddenly too shy to look at Lena in the eye. 

“Well, then. ‘Til game night!” Lucy throws a smile over shoulder, “I’ll see you losers later.” 

Lunch is awkward; but somewhere between Kara clapping at the sight of her basket of french fries and Kara kissing her on the cheek before heading back to CatCo, Lena thinks they’ll work through it. 

They always do.

***

_ Lena feels like she’s going to throw up.  _

_ She witnesses Kara instantaneously engulfed in flames. Literally. The bomb had went off in her hands, because curious and foolish Kara Danvers decides that was the best moment to pick up a package in the middle of L-Corp lobby. _

_ Lena’s almost ready for the worst. It’s happened before. Lionel. Lex. Jack. Besides, Luthors aren’t allowed a happy ending. What makes her an exception?  _

_ (Except she’s not ready. Except that she’s not sure can handle this loss, out of all them.) _

_ “Kara!” She coughs out, hand stretched out like Kara is her lifeline. (She just might be.)  _

_ Kara, still covered in orange flames and embers, just turns in a circle-- wide-eyed and...sad?  _

_ Lena feels everything come to a screeching halt. She must be dreaming because as far as much as she can see with her own eyes, Kara’s alive. Kara’s not in pain.  _

_ Kara’s got an ‘S’ on her chest.  _

_ Oh.  _

_ Kara’s in front of her suddenly. Superspeed, of course. And she’s no longer covered in flames. She’s no longer wearing civilian clothes.  _

_ Kara’s a Super.  _

_ “Are you okay?” Kara--Supergirl tries to ask her.  _

_ She vaguely nods and just tells Supergirl that people need her. And Kara studies her. (It’s always Kara who ever looks at her like she’s everything) There’s a hidden promise in that look, Lena knows that much.  _

_ After another hesitant moment, Supergirl shoots into the air in a blur of red and blue.  _

_ (She wants to say that she needs her, too, but this Luthor isn’t allowed to be selfish.)  _

_ *** _

_ Lena can’t always tell, but she can sometimes feel Kara’s presence when Kara does her routine check up on her friends. Before she chalked it up to paranoia in her office, but after the reveal, she knows what it’s been all along. Under other circumstances, she’d be touched--filled to the brink with such warmth-- that she would be someone Kara would physically check on. But, right now, it makes her heart constrict in the most painful ways.  _

_ And suddenly, she snaps. _

_ “Kara, I know you can hear me and I know you’re outside. Can we do this another time?”  _

_ She hears a faint swish of a cape, and she sees Supergirl floating outside her balcony, just barely out of reach of L-Corp’s top floor. _

_ “Kara, please, I’m begging you, go home. I’m fine.” Lena can’t help the clipped tone in her voice, but everything feels overwhelming.  _

_ Kara nods sadly from behind the window of Lena’s office balcony.  _

_ “You can stop checking in on me. I promise I’m fine. I can’t think with you constantly around, okay?”  _

_ Kara takes the hint, but not without the barrage of texts until morning. _

Kara Danvers [1:03am]: i’m sorry for dropping by on you like that 

Kara Danvers [1:04am]: i was hoping you wouldn’t be at the office so late

Kara Danvers [1:05am]: i  just wanted to know you were okay

Kara Danvers [3:15am]: is lunch tomorrow too soon?

Kara Danvers [5:23am]: it’s too soon, forget i asked

Lena Luthor [6:03am]: I’m sorry, Kara. Raincheck on lunch? I still need a little more time. 

_ *** _

_ A week passes, and Kara tries to reach out  again. _

Kara Danvers [1:44am]: don’t stay up too late

Kara Danvers [2:02am]: maybe i’m not one to talk but seriously lena

Kara Danvers [2:03am]: <sleepy emoji>

Kara Danvers [6:27am]: <coffee emoji> <computer emoji>

_ Lena can’t get herself to reply. Lily has to nudge her out of bed that day. _

Kara Danvers [11:12pm]: i’m sorry for the all the annoying texts

Kara Danvers [11:13pm]: alex says i should stop

Kara Danvers [11:13pm] maybe she’s right

Kara Danvers [11:14pm]: i think i just miss you a lot

Kara Danvers [11:15pm]: like a lot a lot

_ Lily doesn’t leave Lena’s side that night.  _

_ *** _

_ At this point, she’s avoiding her and maybe she feels a little guilty. _

_ Lena doesn’t reach out like she psyched herself up to do two weeks ago.  _

_ Two weeks feels like too long without Kara, but it also feels like not enough time to process.  _

A Super and Luthor, _ she scoffs at her own words,  _ who would’ve thought? 

_ Who would’ve thought this was way more complicated than their names?  _

_ The whole thing is confusing and disheartening, and just a huge clusterfuck that she needs another glass of bourbon. Maybe the burning sensation going down her throat is the only way she’s allowed to feel anything.  _

_ She hears a distinctive whoosh from her balcony that prompts her to close her laptop. (She’s not going to outright admit to checking the news for Supergirl. Liquid courage be damned.) _

_ Supergirl doesn’t enter like on her previous visits. She’s waiting (stalling?) out on the balcony, like Lena’s supposed to grant her permission. It feels so unlike them, even as a Super and  a Luthor-- so unbalanced, anything but equal.  _

_ Lena steels herself, and she wonders why it ever has to come to this. But she decides she needs the air and joins Supergirl on her balcony.  _

_ Supergirl lets out a breath when Lena goes to lean against the rail, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”  _

_ Lena sighs sadly when Supergirl stands next to her, “It wouldn’t be a secret if you told everyone.”  _

_ “I wanted to tell you.”  _

_ “But?” Lena’s curiosity has gotten the better of her and now she’s at a point of no return. _

_ “I wanted to protect you, from harm, from enemies…” Supergirl gulps. (and Lena wonders where Kara Danvers ends and Supergirl begins at this point). “From myself.”  _

_ “Were you protecting me or yourself?” She didn’t mean it in an acerbic way. “I need to know.”  _

_ Supergirl grimaces in the way that Kara does, and, God, this is so confusing. “I think at first it was for your own good. It was because you practically had a moving target on your back, and I could never forgive myself if that target was made bigger because of me, because of who I am. But, after the Medusa virus, it was because I couldn’t stand to lose you.”  _

_ “And what about everything in between?”  _

_ Supergirl looks surprised. “I don’t understand…” _

_ “Between my safety and your...feelings, there was a time where you didn’t trust me.” Lena takes the last swig of bourbon from her cup. “There was a time where I held the key to eradicating any and all alien races from the face of the earth, and you looked at me like I was some monster.”  _

_ Supergirl looks at her straight in the eyes, unfailingly determined to make her point heard, “I always believed in you, Lena.”  _

_ Without any liquid contents in her cup, she has an impulse to let the glass just fall off the edge of the railing, from the top floor of L-Corp. “There’s a difference between believing in someone and believing them, Supergirl.” Supergirl is beside herself for a moment before Lena turns her head to scoff. “Don’t take too much offense. I was also speaking for myself.”  _

_ “I’m not following…” _

_ “I’m the reason we were invaded by Daxamites out of this naive belief I was helping, but part of me wonders if I just wanted one less alien to deal with. I foolishly believed her when she played the victim. What I’m saying, Supergirl, is that we all have our reasons for acting the way we do. Just because you’re an alien, doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to yours.” She starts to squeeze the glass so much that her knuckles have turned white, but Kara (only Kara knows to do this) pries her fingers from the empty glass to hold her hand, to play with her fingers in a calming manner. “I’m saying I’m not the most perfect example of trustworthy anti-alien bandwagoners and I can’t blame you for hesitating on a secret that could put you and your friends in danger,” Lena pauses when Kara barely smiles, “and while I’m hurt that Kara Danvers didn’t tell me sooner, no one else can dictate when you share your secret, if at all. I’m not faulting you for that.”  _

_ “Rao.” Kara says breathlessly, taking a sigh a relief as the tension between them finally cracks and gives way. “Lena, I thought you’d hate me.” _

_ “My, Supergirl, would you think us so cliche?”  _

_ Supergirl rolls her eyes in a very unlike her usual heroine mannerisms. “You had an alien detection device.” _

_ “Which you broke when I wasn’t looking, might I add.”  _

_ Supergirl shakes her head, “I’m glad you didn’t allow it to go past R&D. I was pretty terrified.”  _

_ “I’m not completely unreasonable. Paranoid, impulsive and a little self-destructive, sure. But, I eventually come around. At least I’d like to think so.” Lena takes her hand back and clears her throat, “I’m also the reason your boyfriend had to leave the planet.”  _

_ “I pressed the detonator.”  _

_ “Which I gave you.”  _

_ “You don’t get to take blame for something you had no choice but to do.”  _

_ “Good, then we’ll call us even for the night.” Lena sighs and ignores the way Supergirl owlishly looks at her.  “As much as I’d love to hash this whole thing out with you right now, I have an 8am conference call which I’d be loathe to miss.” She says with a small teasing smile. “I also think I need to call Kara Danvers for that raincheck I promised her a while ago. She must think me a horrid friend.” _

_ “She would never.” Supergirl clears her throat and sets her fists on her hips. “Can I offer to take you home, Ms. Luthor?” The blonde looks at her with bright eyes, hopeful. _

_ “Not tonight, Supergirl.” Lena shakes her head. (She pretends she doesn’t see the heroine practically deflate at her decline.)  “I still have a few things I need to wrap up before I need to go home.” _

_ “Don’t stay up too late.”  _

_ “Good night, Supergirl.”  _

_ She watches as the heroine flies into the distance.  _

_ It doesn’t solve everything. But it’s a step in the right direction. _

_ Lily doesn’t hesitate to join her when she climbs into bed. _

***

Lena hands Kara an ice cream cone with two scoops stacked atop, and the blonde brightens at the sight of it. 

They continue to walk around the park. 

“I’m sorry about Lucy the other day. We haven’t really caught up since basically she moved to National City, and then she was laying really low when I moved here too….I wasn’t really expecting her to just show up yesterday.” Lena shrugs, not knowing how else to explain it.

Kara takes a short break from her ice cream, “I wasn’t jealous, if that’s what you’re getting at. I just didn’t realize you two were good friends is all.”    
  
“Uh huh. And that’s why you were so quiet?” Lena clears her throat, “But, um, if you don’t want me at game night, I’m sure Lucy will survive.” 

“Wait,” Kara’s brows furrow together again, stopping the pace they had going, “Lena, of course, I want you at game night. I just wasn’t sure how to ask you.” 

Lena laughs, exasperation settling in between sighs, “Leave it up to Lucy forcibly push people off the metaphorical cliff.” 

Kara smiles sadly, looking down at the ground. “I know it’s been weird between us since the whole Supergirl thing, and I didn’t want to push you into another high-pressure thing.” And Kara gets so upset at herself that she almost drops her cone in the process. “Oh, Rao, you must think me the worst girlfriend. Of course, I want you at game night!” 

Lena blinks rapidly, a smile playing at her lips the more she thinks about calling Kara hers. “Girlfriend, huh?” 

Kara starts to panic, “Wait, too soon? Rao, did I even ask you? Did you ask me?” 

Lena takes the cone from Kara’s hand, and waits for Kara to stop gesticulating wildly about courting rules on Krypton and on earth. When she finishes, Lena assures her,  “First of all, I’d be honored to be your girlfriend. Second, I’d love to go to game night. Lastly, please eat your ice cream before it melts all over my hand.” 

“Really?”

“To which part?”

“The girlfriend part.” Kara grins wildly. “And the game night part.”

“I was mostly insistent about the ice cream part.” Lena tries to keep a straight face, but starts to giggle. “But, I’m a strong proponent of the first two as well.” 

Kara takes her ice cream back, but not before pouting.

“Kara,” Lena reaches out to hold Kara’s free hand, brushes a thumb over her knuckles. “I know I didn’t react very well to the Supergirl secret at first, but I don’t want us to stop talking about difficult things because you’re afraid I’m going to shut you out. I’m done shutting you out.” 

Kara admits just barely above a whisper, “I don’t want to scare you away more than I already have.”   
  
“The fact that you leave your windows wide open should be enough to have scared me away by now.”

“Well, not all of us have a penthouse apartment with a balcony and state of the art security system.” Kara then adds, defiantly, “And I’m at least four floors up!” 

“I’m serious, Kara Danvers. I don’t want us to stop talking because it’s hard.” 

“Promise?”

“Promise.” 

***

_ They’re sitting on Kara’s couch with little just a cushion between them, both of them mindlessly paying attention to the selection playing on Netlfix. Lena’s arm is resting against the cushion, and Kara’s fingers are tracing patterns up and down her forearm. _

_ “Do you miss him?” Lena asks, prompting Kara to pause her motions and pull her hand away.  _

_ “Who?”  _

_ “Mike...or Mon-el?” Lena says carefully. She’s not sure why she’s prompting this specific conversation. (Maybe she really wants to ask, ‘do you hate me for getting rid of your boyfriend’ without actually saying the words.) _

_ “A little less every day.” Kara sighs. “If he wasn’t so difficult, maybe I’d miss him more.” _

_ “And that’s supposed to mean?”  _

_ “That I was having a hard time in my personal life at that time.” Kara recounts, “Supergirl was fine, the reporter career was coming along,  but my personal relationships with my sister and my friends were rocky. I felt...alone because everyone else had someone or something to focus on and I just had Supergirl. And then Mon-el came along and I didn’t have to hide who I was and I thought-- I’d hoped really-- that I could fill that loneliness.” _

_ “Were you settling?”  _

_ “Maybe? I guess?” Kara takes a cushion and hugs it to her chest. “It doesn’t sound very fair to him, but he wasn’t perfect either.” _

_ “I recall you being upset after everything settled. Do you regret--”  _

_ Kara shakes her head and smiles sadly, “We do what we have to do.” _

_ Lena takes her hand into hers. “Perhaps, but maybe you don’t have to do it all alone.”  _

_ “I don’t hate you for it, by the way.” Kara removes all the (two) cushions between them and snuggles into Lena’s welcoming arms. “In case you didn’t believe me that night out on the balcony.” _

_ “Y-You don’t?” Surprise and relief washes over all at once. _

_ Kara shushes her.  _

_ (It’s late into the night when Kara thinks Lena’s fallen asleep-- almost, but not quite-- and Lena hears Kara whisper, “I love you.”) _

***

“Can I ask you a potentially hard question?” Kara says from the couch in Lena’s office, hopeful and vulnerable at once. 

Lena deadpans without looking up from her paperwork, “No, we can’t have donuts for dinner.” 

“Lena…” Kara whines, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at her girlfriend from across the room.

“Darling, I’m sorry.” Lena chuckles, extremely pleased with herself. “I couldn’t help myself…” She schools her expression and gestures with a hand, “proceed.”

Lena waits patiently as Kara picks at her nails, nerves obviously getting to her. Kara finally mumbles out, “Would you consider letting Lily come to game night?” 

Lena is taken aback because Lily hasn’t been brought up since Lucy dropped in, and Kara was curious though she didn’t push. That is, until now. And now, Lena doesn’t know what to say. “Uh, Kara, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.” 

“Why not?” 

“She’s, um, difficult around strangers?” 

“Are you telling me or asking me?” Kara says bemused. 

Lena gestures vaguely, “She hasn’t had a great track record with people in my life, alright? She barely tolerated Lex and Lionel. I’m sure she scared off a few of my ex-girlfriends, if not all of them. She really didn’t take very well to Jack, and that was fairly recent.” 

“But she likes Lucy.” Kara remembers how fondly Lucy spoke of Lily.

“Yes, I imagine those two would strike a chord for some reason.” Lena looks like she’s thinking hard.

Kara gets up from the couch and crosses the office to where Lena’s sitting. She runs a hand through Lena’s dark hair. “Hey, look at me.  I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But, I’m sure my friends would love her.” 

“Kara, you haven’t even met her. You don’t know her.”

“But I know you, and I just wanna meet her. Especially if she’s important to you.” Kara smiles, eager and easy, like caring about Lena and everything else in it is the easiest thing in the world. “Maybe not game night, but maybe someday?”

It’s sweet, really. And Lena can’t recall the last time anyone’s really cared enough. But, God, is it still terrifying.

***

Kara knocks rapidly on the door, she half-wonders if she’s going to break the panel entirely. The door finally opens and Alex looks a little more than perturbed on the other side. “Kara, what the hell?”

“I’m kind of freaking out?” Kara says as she steps into Alex’s apartment. “Hi, Maggie.”

“Little Danvers, ” Maggie greets from the couch, getting up to join the Danvers sisters at the kitchen island. “Why are you freaking out?”

“Because Lena has a child and I’m kind of pressuring her into bringing said child to game night?”

It all comes out in a rush that both Maggie and Alex are still taking a moment for it all to catch up.

Alex goes first, “Wait, Kar, slow down. What do you mean Lena has a child? Isn’t she younger than you?” 

Then Maggie, “She told you she has a child?” 

“Well, not exactly.” 

“Okay...” Alex sighs, going to the fridge to take out a six pack of beer and a ginger ale for Kara. “Let’s start from the beginning.” 

“Well, Lucy knows about the baby. And honestly, if Lucy hadn’t kept mentioning it, I probably wouldn’t have even pieced it together.” 

Alex nods appreciatively like she approves, “Those two would be friends.” 

“Besides the point!” Kara cries out, taking a long sip from her ginger ale. 

“Alright, kid.” Maggie starts, “Look. Lena obviously cares about her baby.” Kara nods. “And she cares about you, I presume.” Kara nods again. “So, are you terrified about the kid or the seriousness of your relationship? ”

“I just wanted to meet the baby? Because she’s obviously important to Lena? And I don’t want her to go through it all alone?” She finishes her ginger ale and Alex wordlessly hands her another one. 

Alex tries to encourage a complete thought, “But the part that’s freaking you out is…”

“But I don’t know how to care for a child? I mean, I lost Cat’s son the one time I had to babysit!” 

“Well, you said the kid’s a baby...not sure you could lose a baby that can’t physically walk away from you.” Maggie laughs, opening a beer for herself because, oh boy. 

Alex adds, “And if she agrees to game night, we’ll all be there.” 

“Oh, yes. That makes me feel better.” Maggie and Alex raise their eyebrows at her and she backtracks, “I told her the same thing and she wasn’t convinced. She’s like afraid that that baby’s going to scare me away. Apparently it hated everyone, except Lucy thus far.”

“Judgmental baby, I’ll say.” Maggie scoffs. 

“Lucy’s hard to hate, though. Even Kara struggled.” Alex supplies before taking a swig of her beer.

“I told her that it’s up to her, but I feel a little bad that I’m like pressuring her in a way? And what if I’ve pressured her into this and then she finds I’m nowhere near capable of taking care of a child?” 

Alex shakes her head. “Lena’s an adult, with a child might I add, and she can deal with this whatever way she knows how. Hardly makes you a bad girlfriend if you want to be a part of their lives. But you should respect whatever decision she makes.”

Kara’s phone buzzes in her pocket. “Rao, I hope that’s not her.” 

“Well, check!” Maggie urges the blonde.

Lena Luthor [10:56pm]: Hey, are you not home? I’m sorry I didn’t call beforehand. I just didn’t want to leave the conversation the way we did.

Kara sighs. “Thanks for the ginger ale, guys.” 

“We give you sound advice and you thank us for the ginger ale?” Maggie cries out, throwing her hands up in the air. “Kids, these days.” 

Kara Danvers [10:57pm]: sorry, visiting Alex and Maggie...give me 3 minutes!!! <happy emoji> <heart emoji>

***

Kara opens up her door only minutes later and greets her girlfriend, “Lena!”  

Lena still blushes the way Kara says her name, and she hates that she has to fight it literally every time. When Kara shuts the door, they stand at the kitchen table, silence settling between them.  “I’m sorry about the way I reacted earlier. I didn’t mean to just shut down on you like that.”

“No, please, I shouldn’t have let my curiosity get the better of me and be all demanding like that.” 

“Well, I did some thinking and decided I’ll bring Lily to game night tomorrow.” Lena smiles at Kara’s excited face. 

Kara squeals, jumping excitedly as she uses the table as support. “Really?” 

“Yes, really.” Lena laughs as Kara practically jumps into her arms. “You don’t want me to bring her, huh?” 

“This is the best news! I need to tell everyone.” The blonde reaches for her phone, sending off a series of excited texts to her friends.

“Well, that’s not the only news I have.” 

“More best news?” Kara asks, clearly delighted.

“Potentially, if you’ll agree.” Kara nods enthusiastically, and Lena shakes her head. “Kara, calm down. I haven’t even asked yet.” 

“Oh, Rao, but I’m so excited.” 

“Lily’s with Lucy tonight, so I was wondering if I could stay the night?” Lena looks at the ground shyly. 

Kara stills her movements and tilts her head at the brunette before her, choosing to then lift Lena’s chin so she could look at her, “Stay forever?” 

Lena swats at Kara’s arm. “Let’s get through tonight first?” 

Kara giggles, “I’ll take that as a yes. No take backs.” 

The blonde tries to make a motion to run away, but Lena grabs her by the waist and traps her in place. She wraps her arms around Kara’s neck, and pulls her down for a kiss. 

(This time, Lena waits for Kara to fall asleep and whispers into blonde hair, “I love you.”)

***

_ “So, why Supergirl?” _

_ “Because I didn’t want to stand by and do nothing anymore, when I could help people w-with my powers.”  _

_ “So, that girl that saved the plane...that was you?” _

_ Kara sighs, “Alex was on that plane. I remember going on a blind date, and my date rushing out on me, but then I remember hearing the news, about a plane to Geneva.” Lena tilts her head as Kara continues, “The same one my sister was on, and something in me snapped.” _ __  
_  
_ __ “So, you flew and saved her?”

_ Kara scoffs at herself, “It took me so long to actually take off into the air that I was worried I wasn’t going to make it.”  _

_ “But you did.”  _

_ “I did,” Kara nods, “But actually becoming Supergirl was a mess.”  _

_ “Winn told me.” Lena admits. “I did give him tips on how to better your suit. He says he’ll consider all 45 suggestions for the next fifteen refittings.”  _

_ Kara smiles brightly, “Thank you. I’m sure he’s thrilled to be able to pick your genius brain.”  _

_ Lena blushes and carries on, “What does the crest mean? I’ve heard you say it’s not an S, so what is it?” _

_ Kara takes one of the cushions on Lena’s office couch and presses it up against her chest before continuing, “It’s the crest of the House of El. But, it’s also Kryptonian, "El mayarah." It means “stronger together.”  _

_ “It suits you.” Lena smiles wide and full of mirth. _

_ Kara laughs outright, “did you just make a really terrible pun?” _

_ “I mean, wasn’t it just super?” Lena tries again and Kara almost cackles.  _

_ Kara shakes her head. “You have so much to learn, young grasshopper.” _

_ “I haven’t said this since before I found out about Supergirl, but it still stands,” Lena places a lingering kiss on Kara’s forehead before whispering, “Kara Danvers, you are my hero.”  _

_ “And you, Lena Luthor, are a cheeseball.”  _

_ And with that, Kara leans in and kisses her like she’s everything. _

_ *** _

“So, a baby, huh?” James asks when he walks through Kara’s front door. 

“Yeah,” Kara shrugs, “we haven’t properly talked about it yet, but tonight will be the night to find out?” 

“Well, we’re here for you, you know that, right?” He smiles, gentle and caring. “I also really want that rematch in Mario Kart so that baby better keep up.”

Kara rolls her eyes as she watches James and Winn throw insults at each other as they set up the Super Nintendo that Winn always brings to game night. 

She doesn’t notice Maggie sneak up next to her. “So, Little Danvers...since when do we get gifts on game night?”

Kara turns to look at the bag that Maggie’s currently prodding at. “Those are for Lily.” 

Maggie takes out an item, “A teddy bear. Nice.” 

“It’s not just any teddy bear, it’s a supergirl teddy bear.” Kara huffs and crosses her arms over her chest.

Alex decides to join in, “How do you know it’s not a superman teddy bear? Don’t you two wear the same crest?”

“Mine’s better, okay?” Kara frowns. 

Maggie continues to go through the bag, “Um, Little Danvers, is there a reason why there are so many shirts in here?”

“And why are they so big?” Alex says, holding up a red shirt with the print that says ‘i love my mommy’ on it. “I thought you were getting clothes for a baby?” 

Kara grimaces and scratches the back of her head, “I thought maybe she could grow into them?” 

“Oh, kid, you’re hopeless.” Maggie says, shaking her head. “You’re lucky Lena’s head over heels in love with you.”

“So you got all the colors because?” Alex looks at her skeptically.

“I wanted her to have variety.” Kara says indignantly, raising her chin slightly. “Not like you two. You have like purely black outfits.”

“Hey, I detest that!” Maggie adds, “I have a gray henley.” 

Alex laughs and Kara sticks out her tongue at both of them. “I don’t know why I talk to you guys.”

“Because you love us.” Alex teases and pulls her into a hug. 

Kara grumbles something agreement as Maggie also hugs her. 

“They’re also a lot more forgiving than Lucy!” James calls out from the couch.

“Hey, James, is she still coming?” Kara asks, realizing she hasn’t spoken to Lucy in about a week and she’s not even here yet. 

James says over the video game music and sound effects, “Yeah, she’s just running late. You know how she is. Always gotta be fashionably late.” He shoves at Winn’s face for a moment, wanting to distract his friend to get an advantage, before asking, “When’s Lena getting here with the baby?”

Before Kara can speak, there’s a knock on the door and everyone freezes. The boys pause their game and the girls shuffle over to the kitchen to watch on the sidelines. 

Kara goes for the door, taking a huge breath, before plastering a smile on and opening the door. “Lena!” She says excitedly before her face falls. She was expecting a fussy little girl in Lena’s arms. She was maybe even expecting a shy little girl trying to hide behind the tail of one of Lena’s long coats. 

But, in any case, she surely was not expecting this. 

“PUPPY!” Winn’s off the couch first, shoving James out of the way, before he practically skids to a halt in front of a Bernese Mountain dog with the softest looking coat. 

Kara looks at Lena adoringly, “You have a dog.” 

Lena looks confused, “Yes, what else would I have?”

The blonde blushes, and her friends stifle a laugh. “I thought you had a baby.”

“Yeah, she’s--” Lena’s eyes widen mid-sentence and she’s practically choking on her words. “Like-like a child?” 

Kara offers a sheepish smile, and Lena shakes her head at her girlfriend. 

Winn holds out his hand for the dog to inspect, but she doesn’t seem to pay him any mind.

Instead, she takes a piqued interest in Kara, who’s looking like a deer in the headlights as she’s still holding the door open. Kara takes one look into Lily’s eyes, and she’s a goner. 

(It wouldn’t be the first Luthor to have this effect on her.) 

After closing the door and kissing Lena on the cheek, Kara just sits on the floor and opens her arms wide. Lily stares at her for a second, her tail wagging slowly, only picking up in tempo when Kara coos, “Come here, Lily.” 

And much to everyone’s suprise, the timid dog who walked through the door all but leaps into Kara’s open arms. They greet each other like they’re old friends, and Lily licks Kara’s face all over. She wiggles around like she doesn’t know just what to do with all her energy. 

Lena’s never looked so relieved in her life, so much so that Alex hands her a glass of wine. “Kara does have that kind of effect on everyone, doesn’t she?”

“Thank God. I was so worried coming over here.” Lena breathes out, taking a sip of her wine. She can’t fight the smile that erupts when Kara’s practically squealing when Lily sets her paws on the blonde’s shoulders and nearly topples her over. With a soft bark, Lily is off to explore her unfamiliar surroundings. 

She doesn’t flinch when the others try to pet her. Winn practically pouts when she practically ignores him, though. James apparently gives a decent ear scratch. She seems to wag her tail (kind of) at Alex, who takes that as a victory over Winn. But then she finds Maggie, who still has the gift bag; and the moment Maggie lifts superbear out of  the bag, Lily about loses her mind again. (She also doesn’t let it out of her sight for the remainder of the evening.)

When Lucy arrives, everyone’s settled in. Maggie and Alex have one loveseat while Kara and Lena are sharing the other with Lily wedged between them. The boys are sitting on cushions on the ground. And Lily greets her favorite aunt, as Lucy calls herself, with enthusiasm. 

“I won!” Winn cries out after a grueling race against James. “They don’t call me Winn for nothing.” 

“Winnslow, that’s not very nice.” Alex calls out, only to get a glare from him. 

James shakes his head, sighing, “Alright, Winn. Name your prize.” 

Winn’s eyes light up and he points at Lily. “I want the dog for a night!” 

“Fat chance, Schott.” Lena grumbles and glares at Winn. “She’s not a prize to be won.” 

He retracts his statement and calls dibs on the remaining chicken wings. 

Soon enough, everyone’s filtering out-- all asking if Lily will attend any more game nights.

“It’s a definite possibility.” Lena smiles warmly at her friends. And they all whoop and holler into the hallway. 

When it’s just Lena and Lily who are left to leave, Kara asks, “Stay the night?”

Lena shakes her head, “I have an early morning.” 

“Let me fly you home, then?” Kara suggests. 

The brunette hesitates for a moment, “Kara, we can’t take a dog flying?” 

Kara furrows her eyebrows, “I don’t see why not?” 

“What if she’s...afraid of heights or something? I refuse to traumatize my dog.” Lena argues, looking worriedly at her dog who’s got a dopey kind of smile as she looks up at the two humans.

“Lena, it’ll take like two minutes...versus the 30 minutes for your driver to make it here.” 

The brunette lets out an aggravated sigh. “Oh, alright, but…”

“But?” Kara urges as she tilts her head at her girlfriend.

“Spend the night?” 

Kara beams, “I thought you’d never ask.” She looks down at Lily then up again at Lena. “You two ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” 

Lena’s skeptical, but she trusts Kara more than she ever imagined trusting anyone. 

And that’s the story of how Kara is sandwiched between her two favorite Luthors, with Lena on her back as Kara’s holding Lily to her chest, all the way to Lena’s apartment across town. 

Lily enjoys the entire ride. 

***

Lena lets Kara change out of her Supergirl outfit before starting a conversation she’s been dreading. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Lily sooner.” 

Kara places a kiss into Lena’s hair. “It’s okay. I was dying to know because Lucy can do that, but ultimately, I wanted you to be ready to tell me.”

Lena leans into the feel of Kara pulling pushing her hair back, and suddenly feels the need to explain, “She’s weirdly overprotective of me.” 

“Gee, I wonder how the two of us could ever get along.” Kara deadpans before giggling and kissing her on the nose. 

“Kara, I’m serious. She would literally block the doorway whenever I tried to have any of my exes over.” Lena facepalms. 

“Oh, Rao.” Kara narrows her eyes at the huge ball of fluff in the middle of the floor. “You naughty dog.” Then she asks, “She never hurt anyone, did she?”

“No. She’s all bark but no bite for the most part, but I guess I wouldn’t test that too much considering how protective she is.” Lena shrugs. “But, she’s a big dog and most people can’t laugh off that kind of behaviour.” 

“Well, good thing I won her over with my charm.” 

“Oh, yeah, that’s what it was.” Lena teases, “Probably had nothing to do with the gifts you showered her with.”

“Hey,” Kara playfully shoves at Lena’s shoulder, “she found those after she met me!” Lena watches her dog for a moment more before Kara starts to speak again. “Can we promise to actually talk about things moving forward? I’m still mortified I thought you were bringing an actual baby, like a child, to game night.”

Lena practically cackles. 

“Lena, that’s not funny...I was freaking out.” 

“Well, she is a big baby.” Lena relents, “Also, you can blame the entire confusion on Lucy.” 

“I also didn’t ask because it sounded so much like Lillian’s name, so I figured...” 

Lena barks out a laugh. “Oh, you make it sound so respectful but Lily had the name before I adopted her.” Kara throws her a look. “Lillian absolutely hates having such a similar name to a dog. And well, Lily hates Lillian.” 

“I guess I shouldn’t have assumed that much.” 

“No, I still wanna kick Lane’s ass for being a little shit. Don’t take that away from me.” 

Lily barks in agreement.

“I can’t wait for her to try on her shirts.” 

Lena laughs and agrees, “And it’s not like she’ll grow out of them or anything.”

***

It takes a little while for Kara to settle into a routine with Lena and Lily, to fit in like a piece that’s always been missing. At times Lena’s still anxious that Lily would be too much for Kara, but then she goes to climb into bed and Lily’s got her head resting on Kara’s shin as Kara’s reading. 

“I love her.” Kara says one night and just as easily admits, “and I love you.” 

Lena blinks rapidly as her heart flutters a million beats per second. Finally, she places a chaste kiss on her girlfriend’s lips, “I love you, too.” 

Lily crawls into the (small) space between them and slobbers onto both of their faces. 

“We love you, too, you goofball.” Kara gasps, and almost squeals at a high pitch that causes Lily to tilt her head. 

“Kara?” Lena questions.

“Please tell me she can come to the office with you now.”

Lena sighs, but contemplates the thought seriously, “I guess it’s not a problem anymore.” 

“Yes!” Kara fist pumps, then asks, “Can she wear the green shirt? I promised Lucy we’d take pictures of her with her new outfits.”

“Only if you stop taking her out flying all the time. She never wants to go for a walk anymore. She’s practically demanding to be carried everywhere, and I’m sorry not everyone has Kryptonian genetic makeup.” 

Kara thinks about it for a beat. 

“Okay, deal.” Lily whines as if she’s protesting. “Sorry, Lil, Mommy’s right. We can’t have you jumping onto anyone every time you want to go out.” 

Lily huffs. 

Lena shakes her head at them. “You two are impossible. I can see why you two get along so well.” 

“Alex said you must have always wanted two puppies because that’s what you got or something?.” Kara says nonchalantly as she flips a page in her book. “But, you only have one so I don’t know what she’s getting at.”

Lena rolls her eyes and plucks the book from the blonde’s hand, setting it on the bedside table, and then snuggles right up to her girlfriend. “Shush. Just go to sleep.” 

“Lena?” Kara whispers.

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“Who would’ve thought, a Super and a Luthor.” Lena whispers, pausing only to press a soft kiss against Kara’s pulse point. “I love you too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
